


years of spinning round the sun

by torigates



Category: Parks and Recreation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-04
Updated: 2013-11-04
Packaged: 2017-12-31 12:14:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1031606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torigates/pseuds/torigates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>April knew that some people thought she doesn’t know how to be happy, or that she was incapable of feeling anything other than apathy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	years of spinning round the sun

  
April knew that some people thought she doesn’t know how to be happy, or that she was incapable of feeling anything other than apathy. April knew how to be happy. She knew how to feel things. Just because she didn’t like to _show_ how she felt didn’t mean she wasn’t feeling anything.

It was a distinction that a lot of people didn’t understand.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

When she was a little girl, April’s parents liked to take her and Natalie out to do things. They were signed up for swimming lessons, gymnastics, ballet, tennis, dance, choir, arts & crafts, and a million other activities. They always wanted to do things with their daughters, and they always came and watched. Every swimming lesson, every dance recital, every tennis match, her parents were there cheering them on, being encouraging, supportive, and loving.

It was annoying, and by the time she was eleven years old April knew she didn’t want to do any of those things anymore.

“That’s fine, sweetie,” her mom said.

“Perfectly fine,” her dad agreed. “What would you like to do instead?”

April shrugged her shoulders. “I dunno,” she said.

Her parents smiled, and held her hands. “You’ll figure it out, sweetheart,” her mom promised.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

April hated every minute of high school. She knew there was nothing special about hating high school, _everyone_ hated high school. That didn’t make surviving it any easier.

April came home from school, and her mom would ask her how her day went. April grunted out a response and went into her room and turned the music up loud. Her mom never yelled or asked her to turn down the volume. Each night, they ate dinner as a family, and both her parents would ask questions about her day, about Natalie’s day.

It was annoying and frustrating and April hated it.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

She wanted to move away from home for college. She looked at all the brochures and campuses. Her dad even took her down to tour a couple of them. Her parents were supportive of her decision, but realistic about the costs, and April knew she’d never be able to afford going away to school.

It wasn’t so bad staying at home, taking a few classes and working at the Parks Department.

April had always thought her parents were the perkiest people alive, but that was before she met Leslie. Leslie wanted her to care about things and try harder. She wanted so many things for April, that sometimes when she was around Leslie too much, April actually wanted to make things happen.

That was usually around the time she went and spent some time with Ron.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

It wasn’t surprising in the least to April that Leslie was the one person to freak out over April and Andy’s wedding. After they made the big reveal, her mom and dad, and Natalie came over to talk to her. Natalie just gave her a steady look, the corner’s of her mouth turning up slightly. It was a ringing endorsement.

April’s mom pulled her in for a hug. “April, sweetheart,” she said. “You know your father and I trust you to make adult decisions.”

April nodded.

“Is this what you want?” her mom asked.

April nodded again. “Whatever,” she said. “I mean, I guess.”

Her dad laughed and shook his head. “Well,” he said. “I guess I better have a chat with your young man.”

April ignored the burning at the back of her throat as her mom hugged her again.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

“I guess I kinda hate most things,” April said. “But I never really seemed to hate you. So I wanna spend the rest of my life with you. Is that cool?”

April thought about all the moments that led to her standing with Andy in front of all their friends and family. She thought about Andy telling everyone how little they had thought about getting married, and that was true. They hadn’t spent a lot of time thinking about it. They hadn’t needed to. April’s parents always promised her she would figure out her life, that she would find something that made her happy, and that when she did she would have no trouble sticking to it. That thing hadn’t been swimming, gymnastics, ballet, tennis, dance, choir, or any of the other things her parents had made her do. Her passion definitely wasn’t school, or work, or even music.

She loved Andy. She _loved_ him. He made her happy, sad, angry, frustrated, giddy, surprised, proud, confused, amused, brave, hopeful, and loved.

He made her feel more than anyone else, and that was more than enough.

It was everything.


End file.
